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Downtown offers the best of Austin, amplified. This is where creativity and ingenuity meet to deliver the latest foodie hotspots, legendary live music venues, one-of-a-kind shops, and year-round outdoor fun. Rock out or relax – it’s your call. LET’S GO

Congress Avenue Charette

Our Progress

In response to the Vision, the DAA’s first areas of focus are lighting and plaza activation.

tree lighting

The DAA is funding and managing the installation of lights in all trees along Congress Avenue. This will provide a sense of place, greater safety and an inviting environment for outdoor dining. It will also provide a perfect foundation for a livelier holiday shopping district.

plaza life

In April 2012, the DAA hosted PlazaLife, a two-day event at the Frost Bank Tower Plaza that demonstrated a variety of activities that can take place regularly if we were to re-imagine how we use our downtown plazas. The plaza came to life with live performances, music, games, business gatherings, food vendors and more.

We are using the results of PlazaLife (public surveys and property owner feedback) to develop a toolkit that property owners can use to turn their public plazas into vibrant spaces.

Imagine Congress: Linking the Pieces Together

In summer 2013, the DAA hired Don Stastny, FAIA, FAICP, founder and CEO of STASTNY architects, llc to conduct a success audit and interview over 100 Congress Avenue property owners and stakeholders during over the last several months. The purpose of the audit was to inform the DAA about the progress that had been made over the past five years and what stakeholders wanted to see going forward.

On September 6, 2013, Mr . Stastny presented his findings at a breakfast presentation to stakeholders and community leaders. The 40-minute presentation outlined the feedback from the stakeholders and recommendations on what the DAA, City of Austin, and property owners should focus on going forward. Congress Avenue is more than just a great street, it really can and should act as the spine of downtown that links the evolving districts of the CBD together.